Saturday, February 18, 2017

Book Review: The Undercover Captain

Earlier this week, I purchased and read The Undercover Captain, by Henry Vogel.  It is the second book in his series focusing on the adventures of Captain Nancy Martin, late of the Federation Navy. I'd previously read the first book, The Counterfeit Captain, and enjoyed it, so I was glad but not surprised to find I enjoyed this second book, as well.

The story takes place after the main events of the first book, but before its concluding chapter.  You have no need to have read that first book to enjoy this one, though it is worth a read in its own right.  This book opens to a more Captain Martin drinking herself into a stupor as the dramatization of events play upon the screen in a bar.  The few bits of backstory you need are picked up rapidly enough.

Soon, Nancy Martin is dragged into a more sober pursuit: finding and rescuing an entire class of missing school children, who authorities believe to have been taken by a slave ring.  She goes undercover with a government agent in hopes of rescuing the children and breaking the ring - playing up her storied past when it is most advantageous.

It is filled with tension as the key questions hang over the entire operation.  Will they save the children? Will they stop future kidnappings? Will they bring the criminals to justice? Read it to find out the answers.

The book was free of distracting typographic or formatting issues.  The language is comfortably simple without being childish, so it reads quite easily and quickly.  The fast-paced plot also helps it move.  I read it in one two hour sitting, and enjoyed it quite a bit.  I recommend this novel to anybody interested in mysteries, science fiction, or space operas.

No comments:

Post a Comment